1979 Clearview High School Track Team
Front Row: Mike Walsh, Wendall Gaddie, Brad Dennis, Kevin Richardson, Keith Monos
Middle Row: A. C. Witherspoon, Mike Shields, Brent Dennis, Dave Clark, Charles Neely, Tony Wilson, Pete Duffield
Back Row: Assistant Len Nickoloff, Mark Walden, Kevin Naro, Van Jackson, Jon Lachman, Sam Jackson, Tito Flores, Coach Marv Hougland, Assistant Dan Trent
1979 Clearview High School Track Team (Inducted 2014)
The 1979 Clearview High School Track Team had big shoes to fill after the Clippers won the state championship in 1978. They met the challenge admirably, capturing the 1979 state championship in an incredible back-to-back run of excellence. The core group of the 1979 team had been members of the 1978 championship team, and their experience showed as they blazed a path to the repeat championship. The 1979 team won the Lorain County Relay Championship, Vermilion Relay Championship and Nelson Howe Invitational Championship. In winning the Sectional Championship, Clipper Charles Neely placed 2nd in the 100-yard dash. In the 220 yard dash, Van Jackson took 1st place and Mark Walden took 2nd. Walden also captured 1st place in the 440-yard dash, and Van Jackson won 1st place in the long jump. Clippers Mike Walsh, Charles Neely, Tito Flores and Van Jackson teamed to take 1st place in the 440-yard relay. Their District Championship win saw Mark Walden running the 220-yard dash in 22.9 seconds and the 440-yard dash in 51.3 seconds. Van Jackson won the long jump by soaring 21 feet-10.5 inches. The Clippers also took 1st place in the 440-yard relay and the 1,600-yard relay. As the Clippers won the State title, Mark Walden won 1st place in both the 220- and 440-yard dash, and the Clippers’ mile relay team won 1st place. The mile relay team, anchored by Walden, included Tito Flores, Mike Walsh and A.C. Witherspoon. Clearview’s 1979 state track championship not only made it two in a row, it was the school’s third state championship in track overall, which established a Lorain County record.
